Model RR Electronics

kf4jqd

Active Member
Hello All:

It's been a long time since I post something on here! I have some items. This past year and half, I have building sensors for blocks and signal controls. I built many of them. They were succussiful in working. BUT... I couldn't get them to work to my satifaction!

I was talking to a fellow Ham Radio Operator on a local rpeater last night. He is very smart. He wants to look at the schematics and do some changes.

I will be letting him use my schematics and a section of flex track, plus some railroad cars. He will be modifing the design. As he gives me copies. I will post them.

If anyone lives near the Central Wisconsin Area. You can hear us talking about this on the 146.640 Repeater or the 147.180 Repeater. All you need is a police scanner.

Andy
 

Woodie

Active Member
On the net?

hmmmm.... Andy, just a thought. Is there anyway you can plug the net into the conversation? Maybe something with ICQ "talk" or a free "talk" type package (Netmeeting) etc?
 

kf4jqd

Active Member
Can and can't do!

Woodie:

I have good news and bad. First the good news. The FCC (Federal Communication Commision) would allow the audio be rebroadcasted over the internet! The bad news. You can not transmit back to them. The reason why? You don't have a license. For you, it would be worst because you don't live in the US. I use Yahoo and AOL IM with voice chat.

I could though ask your questions to Dave. (He's the guy on this project.) This is called 3rd party traffic. We do have an agreement with your government were this is legal! There is NO charge. It is illegal for ham radio operators to except payment for our services! We also have agreements like this with most countries in the world.

Andy
 

Woodie

Active Member
hearing voices.

Andy,
Is it the rules that it's only allowed to be your voice is transmitted under your "ham radio licence"? Anything wrong with having your ham radio mic next to your pooter speaker? (or a feed from same), and vice versa (pooter mic next to ham radio speaker)? I perfectly understand the "fee for service bit". What about things like ham radioers listening to your daughter's violin practice? :eek: :eek: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

I'ts not that I want to join in the conversation, but it was just a thought. To be able to hear you "hamming it up". :) (to coin a phrase) and to add an extra dimension to your ham radio hobby.
You can not transmit back to them. The reason why? You don't have a license. For you, it would be worst because you don't live in the US. We do have an agreement with your government were this is legal!
I don't fully understand these bits. You mean my voice is not allowed to be transmitted by your ham radio? You need a agreement with the Aust Govt for that??? or you are only allowed to have a mic connected, not a feed from anything else?:confused: :confused:
 

kf4jqd

Active Member
Ham radio Laws

Woodie:

Our Ham Radio Laws are not the easiest to understand. The easiest way to put it. You MUST be license. The United States has agreements with other countries, inclueding yours. Were non-hams like yourself can go on the air. There is a gray area in this when using the internet.

For you to talk on the radio, there must be a ham present. Problem: You are not a US citizen and I can't be your control operator from a foreign country. All I can do is relay your question. We can see what we can do.

Andy
 

kf4jqd

Active Member
Flaws

Hello Everyone:

Here is some progress on the model electronics. There was a flaw in the design of the ones I used. (I should have known better! :eek: ) The use of OP amps are important. They monitor the input voltage. It can sense an increase or decrease in the voltage. Using IR sensors and an OP amp, this improves their effency by 80%! This makes it excellent for trains on the same track or to turn a signal light or even turn on your railroad crossing! I will be posting schematics very soon. I will make them simple so that someone with average degree of electronics will be able to build one of these.

Get those solder irons warmed up,
Andy
 

kf4jqd

Active Member
Update!

I have an update! My friend and I has found the model RR electronics on the internet are flawd. The are very simple designs with no fine tuning.

The solution? We are going digital! They may sound completicated, but it's not! We are using flip-flops, AND, NAND, OR, and NOT gates. They only use 5vdc of power! These cuirits are known as TTL or Transitor-Transitor Logic.

The will operate L.E.D.'s with no problems! With a high power tranisitor and/or relay you can power motors and other lights!

No schematics yet, but I will have them!

Andy
 

Vic

Active Member
Hi Andy, Good to see another Ham that's also into model railroading. I'm K4VIC QTH Columbus, Georgia.

You are right about not being able to re-broadcast the gentleman from Australia over your local repeater. I'm pretty sure that would constitute third party traffic. With all of the FCC enforcement that's going on now I wouldn't risk it. HI! Y'all could set up a club @ Yahoo and then use the voice chat to have as long as a discussion as you want.

I'm on 10,15 and 17 meters quite often so listen out for me and give me call....73,Vic
 

Bob Collins

Active Member
I'm not a ham operator, but my daughter was born at Martin Army Hospital at Fort Benning many years ago (she wouldn't like to hear me say that):D

I was stationed at Fort Benning twice, loved the area.

Bob
 

kf4jqd

Active Member
I have diagrams

I now have diagrams with the electronic diagrams. I have to convert them to a jpeg or something like that. They are hand written and very hard to read.

Andy
 

RI541

Member
Andy,

Glad to see your back,

Me, Rockislandmike and IMRL393 are shooting the breeze about the wonderful RI in the HO section under picking on the little guys.

If you get a minute stop by.

Shane
 
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